Football News
‘Excited but wary’: fans in the 16 host cities share their hopes and fears before the World Cup
In the first of a new series of dispatches, fans in US, Mexico and Canada tell us that they want visitors to have a good time but are angry about ticket prices, Fifa’s priorities and a lack of long-term thinking from politiciansThe 2026 World Cup features 104 matches in 16 cities across Canada, Mexico and the USA, from Vancouver to Mexico City and San Francisco to Boston. Before, throughout and after the tournament we’ll be hearing from fans in those cities about their experiences – some shared and some different – in our “My World Cup” series. Here some of our correspondents share their first thoughts.I’m much less excited than in 1994, when the World Cup was held in the US. It feels like an event for the rich now. It would cost $2,000 for me to go to a group stage match with my wife and two kids. None of those games is worth that, and the knockout stages will cost significantly more.If I’m just watching on TV, it might as well be on the other side of the world, which is a shame because 1994 had an amazing impact on me as a 14-year-old. I wish my kids and the city could experience that excitement. In 1994, fewer people in the US were aware of the tournament, but fewer Americans will get to experience it live this time.Most people in Atlanta are apathetic about the World Cup. People who care are disenchanted by ticket prices; those who don’t are not even talking about it. The news cycle does not offer any oxygen for it – except to remind everyone about the price gouging.I hope Fifa loses it shirt on it and people do not travel to the US or pay the exorbitant ticket prices. I also hope the expanded format backfires and people don’t tune in to the first round. I expect it will be similar to Qatar, with half-empty stadiums but plenty of extra games to generate revenue. Once the last 16 begins, the rest of the world will eagerly watch the competitive part of the tournament. I imagine the US will get out of their group and lose against the first decent opposition they meet (much like Qatar). KyleWith so much going on in the country and around the world – much of it distressing – I am finding it hard to generate a lot of enthusiasm for the tournament. In 1994 I attended all the games at Foxborough, including Diego Maradona’s game for Argentina against Nigeria in the group stage and the Italy v Spain quarter-final. Back then my excitement was sky-high: it was a lifetime ambition to experience a World Cup in person and I figured it would never happen again.This time around, maybe because it’s second time around, I am more jaded. However, I am sure once it starts I’ll get caught up in following the action, including watching games on TV. I am looking forward to international visitors at the museums where I work part-time; no doubt I am in for some good-natured ribbing about the US team and their poor prospects.I won’t be attending any games. The tickets are outrageously overpriced and the mechanisms for buying them were just too byzantine. I don’t sense much of a buzz. That may change as the tournament gets closer and as the weather improves. We did host a pre-tournament friendly – Brazil v France – which was very well attended. There is a large Brazilian population and nothing seems to diminish their enthusiasm or optimism.News about the tournament has tended to focus on negatives, in particular the impact on traffic. The stadium is in Foxborough, about 30 miles outside the city. There are trains – and they plan to beef up the service – but not enough for everybody who will want to use them. They have cut down on parking close to the stadium in response to complaints from the town. The town, the New England Patriots, the State of Massachusetts and Fifa only recently reached an agreement on traffic and parking. It has the potential to be an ugly mess.I look forward to the World Cup every four years. I’ve watched every one of them since, as a nine-year-old, I watched the 1966 World Cup final with my dad. I always thought of it as the world’s premier sporting event, even more so than the Olympics. I am sure that whatever cynicism and weariness I am feeling will fall away once the first games kick off. So, I am hoping for good football, a good atmosphere at games, a few surprises and some new stars. And please no co-opting the games to feed a political agenda – yes Donald Trump, this means you. David AchenbachI was so excited until the ticket process and prices came out. I love the sport, will follow the whole thing and would love to attend games, but it has priced me out of what I thought would be a once-in-a-lifetime chance. The buildup has been muted and apathetic in Dallas: barely any signs around and not much local promotion yet. It just doesn’t seem to be a big deal. I have not heard of any big national teams choosing to base themselves in the area, which is understandable considering it will be at least 35C (95F) in late June and July. Given the prices, the weather and the political turmoil, this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity seems not so worth it.I’m just hoping for an incident free-tournament. I don’t want international or national politics to have any spotlight. I want great games and for our country to showcase what once made us great. I would like the US team to make the quarter-finals and for the tournament to be another springboard to launch the game’s popularity here. But my hopes and expectations are on opposite ends of the spectrum. AndrewI was looking forward to the World Cup being on my doorstep and was hoping to go to a game. But ticket prices are ridiculous. Most people here earn between 10,000 and 30,000 pesos a month (between £425 and £1,275).For various reasons there is a massive lack of enthusiasm. There is growing anti-US feeling here; there is concern about whether fans will be able to travel to games given visa bans; there is a high level of support for Iran; it feels as if the World Cup has been hijacked by the US; and politically Fifa appears to be bowing to the US. It is difficult to find anyone promoting the World Cup. Zero excitement.We love our football and the mood will improve closer to the tournament, but this World Cup is tainted and in my opinion the games should have been moved to Canada and Mexico the minute Donald Trump came to power. I hope the games in the US have minimal crowds and that people protest against the way the whole thing is being handled. This is not a World Cup that is bringing the world together. It’s one that proves football is mired in political agendas: a money-making machine that ignores true fans. The only thing I can say is anyone visiting games here will be treated with kindness and respect. They will be safe and welcomed. Heather ChambersI was extremely excited about the World Cup coming to Houston. Having seven World Cup games on my doorstep seemed like a dream. But my enthusiasm has been dampened somewhat by ticket prices, the difficulty of getting hold of them, and the dilution of quality by including too many teams. ‘Nosebleed’ seats for Saudi Arabia v Cape Verde cost more than $200 each. It’s a joke.The sad thing is, my love of football will probably mean I pay over the odds for tickets. I’ll probably bite the bullet and pay astronomical prices on the resale market for England’s game in Dallas. I’ve lived here for more than 25 years and I’m unlikely to get the opportunity to watch England in a World Cup game in Texas again.There is some excitement bubbling under in Houston but it’s subdued compared with what I anticipated. The sport has boomed in the US over the last couple of decades, and Houston is no exception, but it’s still a city more interested in American football, baseball and basketball. There are a few signs of the tournament coming here – they have decorated some areas with a World Cup theme) and there have been some infrastructure improvements – but I don’t think the city really knows what is coming. The infrastructure of the fourth-biggest city in the US may buckle under the strain of the additional tourists. Expect heavy traffic. Ian ShermanWhen I learned Kansas City was a host city, I was ecstatic and proud but also sad because my late brother Grant and our parents, who died either side of the pandemic, are not here to share the joy. Now, while I’m still proud of my city being on the world stage (and extra proud we will be the base camp for four national teams: England, Argentina, the Netherlands and Algeria), I am concerned about the state of our nation, the fact the US has bombed Iran, and Gianni Infantino’s bizarre venality toward our president.I’m proud to show off my city, but think visitors from overseas might be shocked at how far apart things are, how car-bound we are, and the lack of public transit infrastructure. I worry about world events affecting the tournament, sky-high ticket prices and, frankly and embarrassingly, the preponderance of guns in American cities; there was a mass shooting during the Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebrations, across the street from where the fan festival will be.My late brother is so strongly tied to all things World Cup, it causes me moments of deep grief; but also a desire to do what I can to create positive experiences of the world’s biggest soccer competition. I hate that Grant isn’t here to see this, and I lament the absence of everything he’d have written about it. But I also hope and pray our home town will do him proud.There is an air of what I would call wary excitement in Kansas City. The exorbitant ticket prices will keep many locals out of the stadium, but we’ll pack the sports bars and community viewing areas. Kansas City people love to hype where they live, and local businesses are excited for what could be a lucrative time. More than anything, we want the experiences Kansas City contributes to the World Cup to be free of violence and to be looked upon by the international community as unexpectedly amazing. We want visitors to feel as if they’ve discovered us, that we’ve welcomed them, and that they want to come back. In troubled times, world sporting events have the potential to bring us together in joyful ways, and don’t we all need that sometimes? Eric WahlI’m excited but conflicted. My first proper World Cup was in 1994 and, since moving to the United States in 2004 and adopting this as my country, I have dreamed about going to a game in my home city. Although, given the glaring anti-immigrant politics in the US and the war against Iran, it’s not great timing.On top of that Fifa is pricing out true fans . I went to the 2010 and 2014 World Cups and had a blast, spending $100-200 on tickets. It’s ridiculous that spending more than $600 for a group game is considered normal – and that’s before the ridiculous price of parking, which most people will have to consider, given there is very little public transport to the stadium in LA.I’d like to take my wife and children, but the cost of tickets may not make that possible. It feels as if the tournament is catering to those willing to pay any price to attend a World Cup without knowing anything about the sport or the competition. My hope is that the tournament is accessible to more than just the people who can afford it, that it helps grow the game among the younger generation, and that people who travel from abroad have an easy time getting to the games and have a great experience, without having to worry about immigration enforcement profiling them. WalidI wasn’t keen on Mexico joining the North American bid from the start because it felt as if the US was using us to make their bid feel inclusive, but we were only getting scraps. The decision to play just 13 of the 104 matches in Mexico feels insulting as this is a football-loving country that has already organised two great World Cups.Being part of this World Cup in particular feels wrong. Under the Trump administration the US is poised to be one of the worst ever hosts. It is their obligation to have open doors to fans from all over the world and yet they are forbidding citizens of several qualified countries from visiting, or at least putting obstacles in their way, not to mention they will be the first host that is bombing one of the participating nations. Mexico has no enemies and we welcome people from anywhere, so being part of this discriminatory World Cup feels wrong.This is probably the worst Fifa has ever been, and although the World Cup will happen here, it feels like most people will simply not be a part of it. The ticket prices and the system to buy them is abusive and out of reach for 90% of people. I don’t know who will be going to the stadium. Most people I know cannot hope to pay the prices and the ones who can simply refuse to be a part of this abuse. I hope the stadiums are empty so they don’t do this ever again.I’ll watch on TV (although the increased number of teams makes it feel like most matches don’t really matter) and people can experience the World Cup at fan fests, but we’ve had them at every other tournament. Going to El Zócalo to watch a match will be no different to our experience of Russia 2018 or Qatar 2022. The matches will be in the Azteca, but they could be in Turkey, New Zealand or Antarctica – the experience for most of the Mexicans will be the same. The city is trying hard to promote the tournament, but I haven’t felt excitement in the streets.Finally, it is a wasted opportunity for our city in terms of planning. Our government has not made anything out of it. I live close to the Azteca stadium, an area with a big population, yet poorly connected to the rest of the city. The World Cup was the chance to build a subway in Coapa, to connect us to the rest of the system, but the city government abandoned any such plan. They have made some quick, last-minute improvements but they will not benefit locals in the long term.The World Cup has been a nuisance in daily life, a wasted opportunity in the long term, an abuse of the people who should enjoy the event,, an insult to a football-loving country that has been treated like an afterthought, and it is an embarrassment to co-host a tournament soiled by Fifa and Trump. Francisco Fontano PatánI’m very excited but don’t know anyone going to a game as the cost involved is just outrageous. I hope to enjoy the tournament in a fan zone. There is not much of a buzz in Miami. A lot of local bars are still not aware of the tournament and its importance. I’m hoping it goes off smoothly without incident. This is a very worrying time in this country for everyone. Geoff WillertonThe World Cup is the most important sporting event in the world so I am really excited, but I have mixed feelings. Most people on the street can’t afford a ticket, or a new jersey. This tournament feels distant from ordinary citizens. Fifa has turned it into a product for the few. At least regular people can gather in public parks to watch games, creating unofficial fan fests.I’ll try to attend one of the games in my home town, Monterrey, as they are a bit more affordable than in Mexico City. People aren’t thrilled and World Cup fever isn’t as present as I’d like. But as the tournament gets closer the mood will improve. I hope Mexico’s team can put on a good football exhibition. I don’t expect them to win the tournament, but at least to do a good job. In general I hope the event brings some positive economic effect. Jose GalindoLike most big events in New York, it will be largely ignored (sadly). There’s just too much going on in this city for anyone to care about a few “soccer” games out at MetLife Stadium, which is actually in New Jersey (and feels a world away from New York City). Even when we hosted the Super Bowl in 2014 you would barely have noticed. I’m excited to attend a couple of Australia games in San Francisco and Vancouver, but think it will be a big ‘nothing burger’ in New York City.It will be the same as any other day in New York, where it’s a million miles a minute and thousands of events can grab your attention. I don’t think anyone knows or cares that we’ll soon be hosting a World Cup final. That said, my big hope for the tournament is that we have peace, love, harmony and everyone getting along and having a good time. We need it! ParkerI was excited, but my interest has steadily declined due to the ticket prices, the peace prize and the rise of ICE. Maybe it was easier to ignore the venality of Fifa when the competition was further away, or maybe it’s actually got worse. I was initially planning to attend games, but the ticket prices and general ennui mean it’s unlikely. I’m waiting to see what the fan zones look like, but my expectation is that it will probably be another cash grab (and too hot to be out drinking for hours).In Philadelphia there are some posters around and some merchandise here and there, but not much excitement. It’s not something that comes up much in conversation – people often ask which “EPL” team I support when they hear my accent, but I don’t recall anyone mentioning the World Cup. I’m in two minds about the tournament: half of me wants to enjoy the games, the other half wants to see the whole thing fall apart so Fifa are not encouraged to keep bleeding the game dry of joy. James PowellI love the World Cup deeply, grew up watching games with my family, and will almost certainly be watching every single game this year. But the party I thought would descend on our region doesn’t seem to be coming. My friends planned to go to the fan zones together but we might not have any fan zones. I also thought we’d be able to attend at least one game, but the prices are just too high. I’m not willing to pay $250 to watch Austria v Jordan from seats in the stratosphere. If ticket prices drop substantially, I would love to attend the Paraguay v Turkey match because Turkish fans are incredible.I really wanted my friends to “feel” the World Cup. I wanted them to come join me and make friends with Paraguayans, Algerians, etc. But who is even coming? It won’t be the kind of World Cup where you walk down the street and know you’re in a host city.The most infuriating thing is how organisers are prioritising sponsors and VIPs over fans. I don’t think American sports executives understand the World Cup or why it matters on a fundamental level. Our host city committee CEO said the Super Bowl was the event they were preparing for the most, and that the World Cup is just a tier below. If we had event organisers who understood soccer, they would do everything in their power to channel the energy from fans and generate a World Cup atmosphere. Instead, they’ll probably just put on some concerts.A lot of people aren’t into soccer and don’t know the World Cup is this summer, never mind in our back yard. Others do know but don’t care. For the people who do care, it’s too expensive for them to attend. Everyone is depressed by the ticket prices. It’s worse than if the World Cup was halfway across the world. It’s here, but we can’t even take part. That’s heartbreaking. AliMy whole family is super-excited about the World Cup coming to Seattle. We attend Seattle Sounders games, follow the city’s sports teams and all four of us – my wife and I and our two daughters – applied to volunteer. The stadium is downtown and I will be attending the fan zones with my daughters as much as possible. My wife and I are from Bristol in the UK, so naturally we will support England and the USA, but we recently vacationed in Curaçao, so a bit of our hearts will be with that tiny island’s team.Seattle is a very sports-oriented city with several professional teams. Seattle Sounders have been playing here since 1974 with a solid set of fans. The population understands soccer and follows the game. Unsurprisingly, the mood is very positive, with banners around town ramping up the energy.On a serious note, security plans are being put in place for the games. The Seahawks won the Super Bowl this year and the resulting championship march drew a crowd of almost a million fans to downtown: good practice for World Cup event security. I hope fans in all the host cities have a super-fun time, and I’m looking forward to meeting fans from other countries and showing off what a great place Seattle is. Roger Paul Probert-BakerI’m very excited. Toronto is a unique city as all nations are represented here and during the World Cup our streets, bars, homes, back yards and stadiums are full of fans from every corner of the world. The World Cup was made for a city like Toronto. When Italy won it, a million Italians flooded Little Italy in the city. Germans, Portuguese, Cameroonians, French, Brits, Scots and Mexicans will all participate in friendly competition by honking their horns every time one of their teams scores – and they will flood the streets when they win. That’s amazing to witness.I live in a Portuguese neighbourhood and they are excited to see stars such as Ronaldo. Toronto lives and breathes World Cup football and this year it will explode. It’s a fun, beautiful game. I’m hoping all the games are moved to Canada and Mexico! Peter Nazir FaizI became a soccer fan in my teens and remember thinking it would be amazing to live in a World Cup host city. Now that I do, though, I’m not excited. The big things dampening my enthusiasm are how awful Fifa is, how monstrously large the tournament has become, and how expensive and inconvenient this tournament is for host cities. I won’t be going to games because ticket prices are insane. I plan to go to public viewings, though I’m not super-excited about the fan festivals, which seem like a bit of a cash grab despite general admission being free. There’s at least one unofficial public viewing area at Granville Island that I have high hopes for, though.There is not much anticipation in Vancouver. The politicians and bureaucrats are all in a tizzy, but the impression I have is that the average Vancouverite is both mildly interested in the tournament and mildly annoyed by the traffic and transit inconvenience that will come on matchdays.This is more a hope for the US, where I grew up, but I hope no one gets shot. My country of origin is a powder keg right now, and I don’t have a great deal of confidence in the ability of US authorities to keep fans safe, particularly at fan festivals and places that are not part of the stadium experience. Ian Holliday
